


Drunk Interrogation: Second Draft

by CeceRose



Series: Stranger Things Murder Mystery Scripts [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Haunted Houses, Implied/Referenced Terrorism, Murder Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-27 12:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21392140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeceRose/pseuds/CeceRose
Summary: Hopper and Joyce investigate the disappearance of Hawkins’s mayor. Jonathan suspects he knows who’s responsible.
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers & Jim "Chief" Hopper
Series: Stranger Things Murder Mystery Scripts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539118





	Drunk Interrogation: Second Draft

**Author's Note:**

> This is a heavy revision of the original "Drunk Interrogation" scene. It's supposed to be a four-page original scene from a preexisting drama. It's part of the application process for Television Academy's internship. The scene of choice needed to be revised over and over again.

FADE IN:

INT. THE WHEELERS’ KITCHEN—NIGHT

NANCY WHEELER stands in front of the kitchen sink. She is soaked through her clothes from head to toe in water and algae. JONATHAN BYERS sits on the other side of the counter. An open bottle of liquor sits in front of him, though there isn’t a single sip taken. Nancy removes her jacket and socks and wrings them out over the sink. She runs a soapy washcloth under the tap before using it to scrub her arms, neck, face, and legs. Jonathan faces her but has a faraway look, as if he isn’t paying attention to what is happening. When he finally decides to speak, his voice has an obviously forced slur.

JONATHAN

Long day, huh?

Nancy pops open a bottle of shampoo and dunks a liter of it onto her head, letting her fingers go to town on her hair and scalp.

NANCY

I’m just glad no one else used the showers or baths.

She wrinkles her nose at the rancid stench of Jonathan’s beverage.

This place is fucking cursed. We need to start packing tonight so we can just leave in the morning.

JONATHAN

I guess Hopper was right and this place really is haunted by Mayor Mendes. I wonder how he died…

His condescending tone earns him a quick glare from her.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE WHEELERS’ HOUSE

Rain pours down hard, pattering all over CHIEF JIM HOPPER’s jeep. The jeep pulls up in front of the house. From inside, Hopper and JOYCE BYERS observe that all lights in the house are off save for one dim one through a downstairs window. Hopper turns to Joyce and puts a finger up to his lips to signify that they have to be discreet. Joyce nods. They quietly exit the car, although not much of what they do can be heard over the stampeding rain either way.

CUT TO:

INT. THE WHEELERS’ KITCHEN

Jonathan opens his mouth the speak again, but before he can say anything more, a bright set of flashing lights veer through the window before going out completely. Back in the lowlight of the kitchen, Jonathan swings his body awkwardly back to face Nancy after having turned to see out the window. He sways as he does so. Nancy is white as a sheet and all visible muscles are tense.

JONATHAN

You look shaken. You’re afraid of bright lights now?

Upon noticing her transparent state, Nancy regains her composure and puts her hands on her hips. She narrows her eyes.

NANCY

What the hell are you doing?

JONATHAN

Oh, you know, I’m just getting wasted ‘cause I don’t wanna remember being trapped in here with a ghost.

NANCY

Well, you can cut the bullshit. I can tell the difference between someone who knows what it’s like to be drunk and someone who’s never been. I know, Jonathan.

JONATHAN

Why are you so uptight today?

He leans forward and boops Nancy on the nose. Nancy bats his hand away indignantly.

You’re not keeping secrets, are you? You know you can’t keep secrets from your own boyfriend.

Nancy shoots him annoyed glances every once in a while but ultimately plays dumb. She scrubs the rest of the algae off.

NANCY

I don’t know what you want.

Jonathan’s face finally sobers up, defeated. An awkwardly-silent stare-down commences.

JONATHAN

…So… about the mayor…

Nancy’s eyes snap up at him and away from the now-green washcloth, draining in the sink. He gets defensive. He puts his palms up in a blocking motion.

All I’m saying is it’s a little weird that there were rumors about him being assassinated and then a day later we find him in the pond right near your house!

CUT TO:

EXT. THE WHEELERS’ GARAGE

Hopper and Joyce creep around to the side of the garage. Joyce wrinkles her nose. They try to open the door, but it’s locked. She has to raise her voice to be heard over the roaring rain.

JOYCE

What’s that smell? It smells like…

She doesn’t want to say it smells like rotting flesh. Hopper smells it as well and finds it is coming from behind the garage. He motions for her to follow and they cautiously make their way to the back of the garage. There sit the Wheelers’ garbage bins. Joyce then notices a rather large indent that is pooling up with mud as well as a green substance. The smell is stronger than ever now. Joyce points to the green puddle.

Look there!

CUT TO:

INT. THE WHEELERS’ KITCHEN

Shot of the algae-ridden washcloth hitting the far wall. Nancy has flung it from the kitchen across the living room. A flower of green splash marks blooms around where it hits. The sound, brute force, and uncharacteristic aggression of this action stuns her boyfriend. He stares in horror at Nancy. Nancy leans forward across the counter until her face is inches from his. Her expression is blank. When she speaks, her tone is neutral.

NANCY

So you wanna know what happened to Mayor Mendes?

Jonathan stays silent for a few more beats. His eyes dart around to fall upon different areas of the kitchen.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE WHEELERS’ GARAGE

Hopper breaks the doorknob to the garage with a pair of bolt cutters. All he has to do after that is push on the door lightly and it swings open. It’s pitch black inside until a hanging cord by the entrance is pulled. Then the room is illuminated by a single dim bulb. They spot a shovel leaning against the wall.

CUT TO:

The shovel breaking the surface of the algae-filled puddle. The shovel flings away globs of the green substance along with chunks of mud and diluted water. They fly to an unseen location behind the pair. Hopper repeats this over and over again, plunging the spade into the mud and digging out more of the watery covering. Eventually the spade hits something other than mud. It is solid but fallible—though it isn’t nearly as squishy as its half-liquid casket. Hopper and Joyce look at each other before Hopper unearths the rest of the substance. It is for sure a carcass, but it is wrapped in algae over every inch of skin like a mummy. But there is something unusual they notice in the middle of the torso.

CUT TO:

INT. THE WHEELERS’ KITCHEN

NANCY

Need a hint?

CUT TO:

EXT. THE WHEELERS’ GARAGE

In the middle of the torso is a large hole with more algae spewing out.

CUT TO:

INT. THE WHEELERS’ KITCHEN

Nancy drains the sink. A bloodstained kitchen knife emerges like a shark fin from the retreating water

CUT TO BLACK.


End file.
